Shoe



July 22, 1952 Y E. K. LAHNsTElN ErAL 2,603,889

sHoE

Filed Feb. 1o, 195o Patented July 22, .1952

oFFicE- SHOE Evelyn K. Lahnstein and Joseph Albert Lahnstein, New York, N. Y., assignors to Blanklette Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 10, 1950, Serial No. 143,392

3 Claims. (Cl. 36-2.5)

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved shoe and especially'a-shoe for .use by small children and infants.

It is an yobject of the inventionk to furnish a foot covering or shoe which will have a pleasing appearance and which will adequately cover and protect the foot; ai unit 4embodying vthe present teachings providing a structure ysuch that ad- 1 justment may be effected as the childs foot grows so thatthe shoe will at no time bind the foot. nor

enclose it ina manner other than that which is characteristic of a properly fitting foot covering. .;According1y, a shoe is furnished which may be purchased with assurance by the .parent that it mayv periodically have its parts adjusted so as to provide a foot enclosurexsuitedA precisely to a childs needs as that childs footgrows; l*

An additional object is that of furnishing a shoe which may be economically produced and likewise Y sold at a relatively low figure to furnish an article which will be satisfactory to the user over'long periods of time. j f

With these and other objectsin -mind reference is hadY to the attached sheet of drawingsillustrating one practicaly embodiment of the-inven` tion and in which: f v- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the shoe and showing the parts iof the same detached from each other;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the shoe with the parts connected; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device as shown in Fig. 2 with certain of the parts broken away and others of the same shown in section.

This application is a division of our earlier application for patent led in the United States Patent -Oice on December 29, 1948, identified under Serial Number 67,776 and entitled Adjustable Garment. Y Y

The reference numeral 5 indicates the outer sole which may be formedvofleather or any other suitable material. This sole is provided with a liner 6 conveniently formed of cloth; the two being secured to each other and, for example, to the upper of the shoe -in any desirable manner such as by stitching 'I. A projecting portion generally indicated at 8 is provided adjacent the forward end of the sole and as shown may be integral with the layers of the latter The length of this projecting portion is such that it is capable of being folded upwardly and rearwardly to overlie the upper of the shoe. To achieve this, the layers of the sole should be suiliciently flexible at points beyond the upper or else should be formed in a manner such that a hinge action may occur.

The upper 9 may be also formed of any suitable number of layers: If desired, these vmay be in the form of uninterrupted strips extending from points adjacent the forward end ofthe shoe rearwardly around the counter portion of the same. At the latter point they include a height such that the heel of the wearer will be snugly and properly enclosed. Their upper vedges may be defined by a binding I0 which extends conveniently throughout the entire length of the assembly providing the shoe upper. These edges throughout their rear zones define Van opening. Preferably the edges of this opening extend into a plane just below the ankle of the wearer.- Obviously, a greater or lesser amount of material might be furnished at these points to have the shoe upper extend into a higher or lower plane. The forward ends of the Vwith respect to eachother, cooperating fastening elements are employed. Preferably these elements embrace snapv fastenersvof vstandard construction. A .socket'element I2. may be aiiixed to the projecting `portion'il of. thejsole adjacent its outer end and cooperate with one of a series of stud elements I3v mountedto have their projecting portions extend upwardly from that extension I I which overlaps the innermost .extension of the shoe upper. Fastening elements I3 are preff erabl-y disposed in a.v substantially straight line which lies at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the shoe, and with the parts assembled extends across the center ofthe shoe along the vamp portion.

The outermost extension I I also supports socket elements I4 and I5 adjacent its forward and rear corners.- These elements cooperate respectively with a series of stud elements I6 and I'I projecting upwardly from the second or innermost projecting portion II.

It has been found as a consequence of this arrangement of parts that a purchaser may, with assurance, acquire a pair of shoes for a child and which shoes will properly and snugly enclose the foot of the child with socket elements I2, I4 and I5 in engagement with the rearmost elements of the series I3, I6 and I 1. With the passage of time and as the childs foot grows, the parts may be adjusted so that improper pressures will not occur. To this end, socket elements I4 or I5 may be shifted to engage the intermediate element or elements of the seriesk I6 and I'I. This will increase the width of the shoe. Likewise, when the length of the shoe is to be increased socket element I2 may be shifted to engage the second of the seriesof stud elements I3. Thus, the toe box or cap will be increased in length. It is apparent that in lieu of each series of fastening ele'- ments I3, I6 and I1 including three units, that 'af-15' greater or lesser number might be employed.

Also socket elements might be utilized in lieu of stud elements and vice versa.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted are achieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts might be resortedto without departing fron-I the spirit of the invention-,as dened by the claims.

We claim: j

1. A shoe including a sole, an upper comprising integral side and rear walls attached to corresponding portions of the sole adjacent ther edges furnish an adjustable vamp portion, a series of fastening elements on the outer surface of said second extension and disposed one to the rear of the other and a cooperating fastening element mounted on the end of the portion projecting from the sole whereby the latter may be folded upwardly and rearwardlyand secured to any of the last named series of fastening elements of the second extension.

3. A shoe including in combination a sole de- `iining an upper surface to receive and support -the foot ofthe wearer from the heel through to the toes, a portion projecting forwardly of the -toe supporting area of the sole, a strip of of the latter, a first extension forming a par-t of one of said side walls adjacent the forward end thereof, a second extension forming a partl of the other of said side walls adjacent the forward end thereof positionable over said first extension, a projecting portion adjacent the forward end of said sole, two series of fastening elements secured to vsaid first extension and arranged in downwardly disposed rows, a pair of single cooperating fastening elements secured to said second extension adjacent the edge thereof, each cooperable with one of said series'of fastening elements on said first Aextension whereby said cooperating fastening elements are selectively engageable with ycertain of the fastening elements on said first extension Vto furnish an adjustablev vamp portion,-a series of fastening elements on the outer surface of saidvsecond extension and disposed one to the rear of the other and a single cooperating'fastening element mounted on the end of the portion projecting from the sole whereby the latter may be folded` upwardly andrearwardly and secured to any of the last named series of fastening elements of the seoond'extension.

ksecured to said second extension cooperable with one of said series' ofV fastening elements onjsaid first extension whereby said cooperating fastening element is selectively engageable with certain of the fastening elements on said rst extension'to 2. Ashoe including a sole, an upper comprising material having a'lower edge secured to the sole, to extendjarou'nd the rear of the same in line with its edge to provide a counter portion for-said shoe, said strip having its vlower edge secured to the sole to extend uninterruptedly forwardly of said counter portion in registry with the sole edge on both Sides of the sole to a point substantially'in line with the toe supporting area of said sole, a first upwardly projecting extension forming a part of said strip between the counterproviding portion thereof and one of its forward ends, a second upwardly projectingextension 'forming the other'side of said strip betweenthe counter-providing portion thereof anditsother forward end, sai'disecond extension-beingpositionable over said first extension across the instep of the wearer, la series of fastening elements secured to said'rst 'extension and arranged in a downwardly disposed row, a cooperating fastening element -secured to saidfsecond extension cooperablewith 'said series ofV fastening elements on said iirst extension whereby said cooperating fastening elements are selectively engageable with certain of the fastening'elemnts on said first extension to 'furnish an adjustable vamp portion, aseries 'of fastening elements on the outer surfacel ofy said second extension disposed one to the rear ofthe otherfand a cooperating fastening element mounted on the` end of the Aportion projecting forwardly ofthe to'e supporting area whereby the latter may be'fo'lded upwardly and rearwardly and securedto anyof the last namedseries of fastening elements of the second extension.

' EvELYN-K. LAHNSTEIN, d J. ALBERT LAHNSTEIN.

s REFERENCES CIT-En d Y The following references are of record in the 'me of this patents, 

